Shoppers Love You Run for Women

On April 29, over 2000 people participated in the 4th annual Shoppers Love You Run for Women.

Shoppers Drug Mart and Markham Stouffville Hospital came together to create this inspiring event that has raised approximately $400,000 for women’s mental health programs at the hospital. This is Canada’s only women’s and girls’ running series dedicated to women’s mental health initiatives. These programs help women battle mental illness and overcome obstacles on their path to wellness.

Participants can choose from 10, 5, and 1-kilometre runs. The kickoff was at the Markham Civic Centre with the first run starting at 8:15 a.m. Special guests at the event included Mayor Frank Scarpitti, MP Jane Philpott, Deputy Mayor Don Hamilton, and Suzette Strong, CEO of the MSH Foundation.

Strong elaborated on the importance of the run saying, “We are delighted that Shoppers has chosen Markham Stouffville Hospital in the region because they recognize that we’re a leader in mental health and wellness services that support women. It blows me away every year when I’m on the stage talking and I see thousands and thousands of faces and families and friends that are all here to support this amazing event.” Inspiring speaker, donor and supporter Deborah Rotta-Loria also attended the run.

Scarpitti shared his thoughts, saying “I am thankful to Shoppers and the corporate sponsors that we’ve had with this event. It’s raising awareness for mental health particularly for women and certainly raising money which is needed for research and care.”

The Shoppers Love You program is aimed towards helping women live their best lives and focus on making their health a priority. This includes mind, body, soul and overall wellness. The soul, just like the mind and body requires nurturing, and this is often overlooked.